Arkk surged 153% in 2020, backed by destructive giants like Tesla, Roku and Shopify.
Cathie Wood will shift its focus to AI, Crypto, and Metaverse along with Gitlab, Coinbase, and Roblox in 2025.
Despite its volatility, Arkk remains a high-risk, high-reward innovation fund with a visionary edge.
Cathie Wood of Ark Invest has long been thrilling investors with her bold strategy for disruptive innovation. Her flagship fund, ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), is aimed at individuals who want to profit from companies that are transforming the world.
recently Yahoo Finance segment, Translation inventory Host Jared Blikre breaks down Arkk's major investments from 2020 to 2025, highlighting how Wood's strategy has evolved, from the explosive highs in 2020 to the ambitious possibilities of 2025.
This takes a closer look at the fund's journey and what drives it today.
2020 Boom: Amazing lineup
Arkk rose 153% in 2020, accompanied by a list of disruptive companies. Teladoc Health (TDOC) was profiting from the telehealth trend, while Tesla (TSLA) was the leader in the electric vehicle (EV) market.
Roku (Roku) has driven the streaming revolution, Block (SQ) promoted transformed digital payments, and Shopify (Shop) has empowered a new era of e-commerce.
These holdings introduced Wood's keen instincts towards companies redefine the industry, making ARKK a favorite among growth-centric investors.
New Bets for 2025: Crypto, Metaverse, and AI
Looking at 2025, Arkk explores new trends. Despite this, Elon Musk's Tesla continues to lead, but Wood has been attracting attention for AI and data analytics on Gitlab (GTLB), Metaverse's Roblox (RBLX), and cryptocurrency investments Coinbase Global (Coin).
This change supports the ultimate purpose of Wood's rapid expansion and highlights her beliefs about blockchain, virtual reality and AI as key developments in the future.
Performance swing
Arkk's performance was uneven. Following its peak in 2020, interest rates rose 67% in 2022, down from $59 billion in 2024 to $11.1 billion.
The recovery in 2023 saw an 82% increase, above the S&P 500's 53%. As of May 2025, Arkk has only risen 1% since the start of the year, falling below market performance, but has gained momentum since April with the support of stocks such as Palantir.
High risk, high beliefs
Critics, including Morningstar, have pointed to a $14.3 billion loss on ARKK investors' wealth over the past decade, citing its volatility.
Still, Wood's early victories like Tesla and Bitcoin highlight her long-term vision. Arkk remains a high-risk, high-reward play regarding the future of innovation.
